Is it Possible to Get a Job if You’re a Registered Sex Offender?
In this article, we’ll examine the question, ‘Is it possible to get a job if you’re a registered sex offender?’.
When we think of the term ‘sex offender’ we typically associate it with crimes that involve rape or sexual abuse. However, sexual offences now include more than this and if you aren’t brushed up on laws on sending inappropriate pictures you could unknowingly wind up in trouble.
Now that the pool of offences has widened, the amount of sexual offence cases is on the rise meaning more people are being labelled as ‘sex offender’. It’s commonly known that offenders coming out of prison have a hard time getting a job, but this can be particularly difficult for sex offenders as often the label limits who they’re allowed to be around.
Keep reading to find out how being a sex offender affects employment…
Getting a Job With a Criminal Record - Books Self Help
This selection of books can provide advice and guidance on getting a new job if you have a criminal record.
What Changes Have Been Made to ‘Sexual Offences’?
In the UK, it is illegal to publish nude or semi-nude photographs of somebody, for example on social media, without their consent. This is often referred to as “revenge porn” and doing so can result in a prison sentence of up to two years.
The UK is also set to introduce new laws on ‘cyberflashing’, whereby a person will send inappropriate and unsolicited photographs to another person. This crime will also potentially result in a two-year prison term.
Asides from a prison sentence, anybody who is convicted of these crimes is likely to be entered onto the sex offenders register which may lead to lifestyle restrictions and difficulty in gaining employment.
Once a person is on the sex offenders register, they will be carefully monitored by the police and will have to adhere to a number of rules. For example, they will not be permitted to live or work within a certain distance of a school or other venue which hosts children or vulnerable adults.
The length of time that a person will be on the sex offenders register depends on the sentence, which was imposed for their crime and this is calculated as follows:
- Caution, 2 years
- Community order, 5 years
- Fine, 5 years
- Prison sentence of six months or less, 7 years
- Prison sentence of over six months, 10 years
Although it is rare, a person can have the length of time on the register reduced if they are able to offer an extremely good reason for doing so. There are currently approximately 450,000 people on the UK Sex Offenders Database
Is it Possible to Get a Job If You’re a Registered Sex Offender?
The short answer to that is ‘yes’, however, it’s a lot more complicated than that and in this section, we’ll look at this question in more detail.
Working with Children
Anybody who has a spent or unspent conviction for sex offences is automatically barred from working with children – including in schools, play centers, medical centers and other venues which host children. Professionals within these institutions, for example, head teachers in schools, are notified and updated on convicted sex offenders in the area in order to ensure that an offender is not given a job.
Working with Vulnerable Adults
Convicted sex offenders are not permitted to work with vulnerable adults such as those with mental health conditions. As with schools, local authorities will be notified about offenders in the area in order to ‘blacklist’ them from employment.
Working in the Health Industry
Those convicted of sex offences are banned from working in hospitals and other medical facilities in any capacity, including as a doctor, nurse or orderly.
In 2021, an investigation was launched at Southend Hospital after it was revealed that a registered sex offender was employed as an optician at the hospital after an error meant that his records had not been passed on to the administration.
Do Offenders Have to Disclose Offences to Employers?
It is possible for registered sex offenders to gain work in sectors other than those listed above – and many do. Many people mistakenly believe that by law they must tell a potential employer about their conviction, but this is not necessarily the case.
If a conviction is spent under the Rehabilitation of offenders Act, you do not need to disclose the offence when applying for work. If you have an unspent conviction you may need to disclose this as, often, you will be asked about this during the application process.
An employer cannot fire an employee if they find out that the employee is on the sex offenders register, unless the conviction is unspent, and the employee has failed to disclose this during the recruitment process.
An employer can also fire an existing employee if they suspect that the employee is currently involved in sex offences.
What Help is Available to Offenders?
For people on the sex offenders register, there is help available when looking for work. A number of organisations exist in the UK which actively help ex-offenders to gain employment.
Additionally, a number of UK companies operate a policy of offering jobs to ex-offenders and, these include:
- Tesco
- Boots
- Virgin Group
- National Grid
- Pret a Manger
Although these employers will employ registered sex offenders, this does not of course guarantee employment.
Moving forward as a registered sex offender…
Although convicted sex offenders may face some difficulties on release from prison, they do have a right to certain anonymity within their community and are also entitled to seek and secure gainful employment.
Here are some books aimed at helping people with a conviction to regain employment.
1. ) How To Get a Great Job When You Have A Criminal Record: A clear pathway into employment or self-employment including all the templates you need to get results: (UK Orientated). An easy-to-follow and proven UK system that helps ex-offenders to secure meaningful employment that provides structure and stability to their lives. Benefit from the author’s experience of employing ex-offenders and of establishing and running a careers department for serving prisoners. Within the 360 pages and 120,000 words, you will discover: Full guidance on improving employability. The legal framework for disclosure and employment. How to prepare for interviews and then interview well.
Getting a Job With a Criminal Record - Books Self Help
This selection of books can provide advice and guidance on getting a new job if you have a criminal record.
While this is the case, sex offenders should refrain from seeking any type of work which involves children or vulnerable adults as doing so may result in them being reported to the police for violating their conditions of release.
Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult a lawyer/solicitor if you’re seeking advice on finding a job if you’re a registered sex offender. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.
